


In This Valley of Strange Humors (I Heard You)

by aHostileRainbow



Series: Mostly BAMF: A Collection of Small Fries Kicking Ass (Literally or Figuratively) [5]
Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!, Sword Art Online
Genre: BAMF Sawada Tsunayoshi, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Post-Series, Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2016-04-30
Packaged: 2018-06-05 09:51:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6700096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aHostileRainbow/pseuds/aHostileRainbow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A KHR/SAO crossover because there are not enough. Inspired by my desire for Kirito/Tsuna bromance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In This Valley of Strange Humors (I Heard You)

Tsuna scrubbed his fingers through his hair and sighed. Tilting his head down, he let the heat of Italy's summer sun warm his neck and hopefully ease his burgeoning headache.

Around him, his friends had spread out, though they kept a protective circle around him probably without any conscious thought. Hayato for once wasn't yelling at Takeshi, since the swordsman had managed to ask just the right question about UMAs to get an excited lecture rather than a telling off.

Tsuna could sense Hibari ranging over the rooftops nearby, malicious intent periodically rising when Mukuro's _kufufufu_ echoed from behind him. Chrome's giggling usually settled that issue though, and Tsuna didn't have to look to hear Ryohei reply to Mukuro's taunts with stubborn good humor, an arm no doubt wrapped around Chrome's slight shoulders.

Lambo was in school, but Tsuna and the rest had been allowed a rare day off while Reborn cleaned house after a security mishap. The now fully grown Arcobaleno had actually booted them all out the front doors and implied terrible futures if they returned before dinner.

Tipping his head back, Tsuna closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the time to relax and just be with his friends. The sun was bright and hot, but the breeze was perfect to keep him from sweating. Today was exactly what he had been needing -

Wait.

Tsuna stilled, every muscle tense, eyes wide to take in every corner of his visual range because his intuition was _screaming_ , incoherent with unexpected threat _strongjoyalivealive **alive**_. Tsuna was so consumed he didn't register his guardians, always in tune, turning to him and crowding closer with subtle concern.

 _There._ Tsuna jerked, eyes finding and following a head of spiked black hair, a figure with pale skin, lean muscle, and familiar eyes. Broad shoulders twitched under his intent inspection, those eyes abruptly meeting his and for a moment they were both too stunned to react.

Ten years would never be enough to forget that face, even matured and somehow realer.

With Mafia-honed reflexes, Tsuna recovered first and moved, his first step walking but each step after he picked up speed, blindly dodging his guardians until he was sprinting, closing the distance and a tiny smile was spreading across that face, that face he had grieved for all these years in silent, private agony that they had come so close just to - 

Without hesitation, Tsuna threw himself into open, waiting arms, _real_  strength gripping him as they breathed together, "I thought you were dead."

Tsuna babbled out an explanation first, "When I woke up, my dad hushed everything up and when I checked the lists I could never find you--"

"The government knew I had enemies in game who might have come for me so they made my listing private. God, Natsu, I thought... I'm so sorry."

Tsuna pulled back and grinned, belatedly recognizing tears on his cheeks, but ignoring them. Of course Kirito would be the one to bring him to tears for the first time since SAO had been cleared.

"Kirito, _you won_. You got us out, got everybody out. You don't owe me an apology for _anything_." Stepping back to grip his old friend's shoulders and get a proper look at him, he smiled.

"We're _alive_! We made it!" Tsuna laughed then, a little hysterical from shock and joy, and naturally his guardians finally interrupted. He was surprised they lasted this long.

"Uh, Tsuna?"

"Tenth! What--"

"Little brother, did this guy make you EXTREMELY cry!"

Kirito apparently noticed his friends for the first time, and raised an eyebrow at them, then at him. Tsuna blushed.

"Eh, so, life got kind of crazy after...after." Kirito didn't flinch, "Crazier than SAO?" but watched with obvious surprise when confusion crossed so many faces and Tsuna winced.

"Don't tell me, you forgot to mention you're a survivor. And they never noticed anything odd?"

This time Tsuna raised an eyebrow and waved a hand around as if to say _have you seen these people? You think anything I do could be considered odd next to them?_

"Wait, SAO? Tenth..." For the first time, Tsuna damned Gokudera's genius IQ. His Storm's voice got strangely tinny and quiet, "Tenth, you were involved in that Death Game? How - why - you couldn't have been older than ten." Hayato sounded rather strangled and Tsuna knew he surprised his guardians when he didn't flinch or shriek, just shut his eyes and leaned in as Kirito wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

It wasn't fair that the older boy was still taller than him.

"I had just turned nine when I entered the game. The NerveGear was a birthday present from Mama. I." Words failed him, suddenly, and as if he was tiny and helpless again, he turned his head into Kirito's shoulder and his faith was rewarded.

Kirito's voice was steady and even, all the practiced explanations of someone who had gone over the incident again and again, "Natsu, or Tsuna, I suppose, made it to the first floor boss alone and we teamed up from there. Right before the game was cleared, there was a battle with a floor boss and I thought - apparently we both thought the other had died then."

Tsuna picked the narrative back up, still curled into Kirito but less defensively, "When I woke up, I was in a hospital in Tokyo. It had been two years, Namimori facilities weren't equipped for such a long term patient, so Mama moved to an apartment close by and I recovered there. Six months before I turned twelve, we moved back to Namimori, but, well," Tsuna knew his face was probably twisted with self-depreciation, "you know how behind I had gotten in school and since dad covered up my part in SAO no one understood why or was willing to help me catch up. Until Reborn."

Kazuto eyed the wry smile on Natsu's face and didn't ask, but the kid had always had too good of instincts. Amber eyes turned up to him, "It's a long story, but I'd love to catch up, Kirito. Since we've got the day off, would you like to stick around?"

Kazuto considered, glancing up at the sky, "Well, I've got a few hours before the next presentation. You can treat me to lunch, huh?"

Natsu's confused face was as cute as ever, and Kazuto had to laugh, "I'm only in Italy for a tech conference, Natsu. And considering the suits you and your friends are wearing, you can afford to treat us to some good food."

Tsuna glanced down at himself and over at his friends, flushed, but smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> So, I've been hoarding drabbles and oneshots from various fandoms for years and I decided to put some of these bad boys out there. Will mainly feature BAMFness and angst, few if any pairings but lots of friendship, and some crossovers. I might also put out some prompts, in case anyone's interested.
> 
> Please consider all of these ideas up for adoption (with notice, please).


End file.
